When Walt Reuning ’28 was still in high school, he figured he’d head off to college, take some general education classes, and eventually find his way into film. He knew he liked editing. The hours spent trimming scenes, moving clips, cutting audio and creating rhythm out of raw footage never felt like work to him.

What he didn’t know then was how much he’d come to appreciate something else: the value of sitting in a small class where the professor knows his name, knows his strengths and pushes him to do more than just turn in assignments.

A Ghost Story With a Twist

Walt’s first taste of that personal attention came in his First-Year Seminar class last fall, when students were asked to produce an educational video. He and classmate Wyatt Hawks ’28 decided to tackle an old Guilford tale: the haunting of Mary Hobbs Hall.

Rather than retell the story straight, they chose parody. Walt leaned into the absurdity of ghost-hunting shows, filming Walt as a would-be investigator stumbling across shadows and mysteries in the dorm.

It was funny. It was fast-paced. And thanks to Walt’s editing, it was polished. Even his professor, Chad Phillips, was floored. “I’ve never had it where I don’t have any comments,” Chad recalls. “He nailed it on the first try.”

For a first-year student, that kind of affirmation carried weight. In Walt’s case, the support he received from Chad, a Visiting Assistant Professor in Film, was just as important as his grade. “Chad makes coming to class special, all my professors do,” he says. “In a way they’re more than professors. They’re here to help you succeed.”

Why Small Matters

At bigger schools, Walt knows his video project might not have been as successful. “If you’re one of 120 kids in a lecture, you probably never even talk to the professor,” he says. “At Guilford, you do. They know you. They get what you need.”

That one-on-one attention is what drew Walt to Guilford in the first place. “It’s not just showing up, listening to someone for 80 minutes, and leaving,” he says. “Guilford professors actually talk with you about where you want to go and explain to you how to get there.”

That’s made a difference. Walt isn’t just earning credits. He’s building confidence and connections. “The professors here aren’t just teaching,” he said. “They’re introducing you to people, helping you figure out your path.”

Chad wouldn’t have it any other way. He came to Guilford from a large state university. “Our students are not just a class of unknown student numbers,” he says. “Everyone has a name and a different way of learning. I love that I get a chance to meet them where they are in their learning.”

Looking Ahead

Walt is majoring in film studies, with plans to become a video editor. He also has his eye on Experiential Design, either as a minor or second major. But at the core, what excites him is storytelling — whether it’s a ghost-hunting spoof or a documentary project.

And as he looks ahead, he knows Guilford’s small campus experience has shaped him. “It’s meaningful,” he says. “It makes you feel like you’re not just part of a system, but part of a community.”

Walt and Chad aren’t alone. Guilford is a community of professors and students eager to learn and grow together. Want to learn more? Contact Steve Mencarini mencarinism@guilford.edu.